Filling-replenishing mechanism for looms.



Patented Oct. 21-, I902. c. F. ROPER. FILLING REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

7 (Application filed Jan. 9, 1902.)

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No. 7l|,736. Patented Oct; 2|, |902-.- 6.. F. BOPER.

FILLING REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR LUOMS.

(Application filed Jan. 9,4902.)

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UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. ROPER, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COMPANY, OF IIOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FILLING-R EPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 711,736, dated October 21, 1902. Application filed January 9, 1902. S rial No. 88,974. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: it upon each forward beat of the lay, whether Be it known that I, CHARLES F. ROPER, a the running filling be intact or broken. Thus citizen of the United States, and a resident of it will be manifest that so long as such filling Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Ma'send is present the proper function of the aux- 5 sachusetts,haveinvented an Improvementin iliary fork to detect failure of the running Filling-Replenishing Mechanism for Looms, filling cannot be performed, and if such fillof which the following description, in connecing fails on the shot of the shuttle toward the tion with the accompanying drawings, is a replenishing side of the loom it will be undespecification, like letters on the drawings reptected, there will be-no arrest of the take-up 60 1o resenting like parts. nor let-back, and a thin place in the cloth In United States Patent No. 659,628, dated will be formed. October 9, 1900, a loom is shown provided My present invention has forits object the with main and auxiliary filling forks or deproduction of means for insuring the proper tectors to detect failure of filling on the pick cooperation of the auxiliary fork with the run- 65 in which failure occurs, one of the forks operhing filling entirely irrespective of the presating to arrest the take-up and effect stopence 'orabseuce of the filling end between the page of the loom upon detection of filling failcloth and the replenishing mechanism, so that ure, while the other fork prevents operation the objectionable feature hereinbefore reof the take-up and obviates the formation of ferred to is entirely obviated, and a'double- 7o thin places in the cloth. Such apparatus was fork mechanism will operate as successfully designed for use either in connection with auand accurately in connection with filling-retomatic filling replenishing mechanism or plenishing mechanism as without it. without such mechanism, in the former case The various novel features of my invention such mechanism being controlled as to its opwill be hereinafterdescribed, and particu- 75 eration by the main fork and in the latter case larly pointed out in the following claims.

such fork operated to effect stoppage of the Figure l is a top or plan view, centrally loom. broken out, of a loom provided with filling- When using filling-replenishing mechanreplenishing mechanism and having one emism of the Northrop type-such, for inbodiment of my present invention applied 80 3o stance,asin United StateslatentNo.529,940- thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse dethe filling-thread extends from the feeder or tail on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, andlooking toward hopper to the nearer edge of the cloth on the the left, of the aux liary fork and the means first shot of the shuttle after replenishing is wherebyits proper operationis effected. Fig. efiected and so'remains for succeeding picks 3 is a similar View, but showing the manner 85 untilsevered,the automatic severance of such in which the auxiliary fork operatesin order portion of fillingbeing providedfor byatemto prevent interference by the filling end. ple-thread cutter adjacent the selvage of the Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the auxilcloth and by other means nearthe-replenishiary fork; and Fig. 5 is alongitudinalsection ing shuttle-box. It sometimes happens that thereof on the line 5 5, Fig. 4, to more clearly 90 40 the severance of such portion of filling is not illustrate the construction of the fork.

promptly effected,andin actual practicefrom In the specification and following claims one to three or more picks intervene after fillthe term filling end will be frequently ing replenishing before this fillingend is sevused, indicating the portion of filling laid on ered. \Vith double-fork mechanism,such as the pick immediately succeeding tilling-re- 5 shown in Patent No. 659,628, when used in plenishing and extending from the cloth to connection With filling-replenishing mechanthe feeder of the replenishing mechanism, ism a very practical 'difficulty presents itself and the term running filling will be emby reason of this end of filling, for, rememployed to indicate the filling laid by the shutbering that the auxiliary fork is located at tle and not including the filling end. roe 7 the replenishing side of the loom, the unsev- Referring to Fig. 1, the lay A shuttleered end of filling acts upon this fork and tilts boxes 13 B thereon, the automatically selfthreading shuttle 8*, and the breast-beam A having at one end the notched holding-plate N for the shipper S and at the other end supporting the filling-replenishing mechanism, of well-known structure and comprising a transferrer f" and a feeder F to contain a supply of filling-carriers b, may be and are all of well-known construction and operate in usual manner.

The loom is provided with suitable take-up mechanism-such, for instance, as in United States Patent No. 643,284, dated February 13, 1900, though I have herein shown only a sufiicient portion of such mechanism to illustrate the control thereof by or through the detection of filling failure, inasmuch as the take-up mechanism is not of my invention and the particular type thereof is not essential to this present invention.

The controlling rock-shaft d, which governs the operation of the replenishing mechanism, is mounted in suitable bearings 20 on the loom-frame and has fast upon it the hub (I of an upturned arm (1, bent at its upper end into the path of movement of the outer end of a slide f movable in a guide f fast on the breast-beam, the slide having pivotally mounted thereupon at its inner end a filling fork or detectorf of usual construction, the tail of the detector cooperating-with the wefthammer W, Fig. 1, upon detection of filling vfailure when the shuttle is shot from right to left to effect outward movement of the slide and operatively rock the controlling rockshaft d.

A knock-off lever n on the breast-beam is so arranged that its inner end will be engaged by a dogf on the slide f upon outward movement of thelattera predetermined number of successive times to thereby release the shipper Sand stop the loom, substantially as in United States Patent No. 529,943.

For convenience the filling-detector f will be termed the main filling-detector, and it will be seen that it is located at that side of the loom opposite the filling-replenishing mechanism and has a detecting action only on the'pick on which the shuttle is shot from right to left.

A depending arm (1 fast on the rock-shaft d, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) has a lateral lug d to engage the upturned end a of the take-up pawl-carrier a, the only member shown of the take-up mechanism, rotative movement of said rock-shaft in the direction of the arrow 6, Figs. 2 and 3, disengaging the takeup pawl from the usual ratchet and arresting the take-up, as in Patent No. 643,284, and permitting let-back,if desired.

A tubular shaft 0 loosely surrounds the rock-shaft d, between the hub d and the right-hand bearing 20, (see Fig. 1,) having se- "cured upon it the hubof a depending short arm 0, provided with a lateral lug 0 extended across the outer edge of the arm (1 Figs.

2 and 3, so that when said tubular shaft is rocked in the direction of arrow 6 the oper-.

ation of the take-up mechanism will be arrested through cooperation of arms 0 LP. The rocking of this tubular shaft is efiected by or through an auxiliary filling-detector upon detection of filling failure when the shuttle is shot from left to right, said auxiliary detector being located at the replenishing side of the loom and being peculiarly constructed and operating in a novel manner, as will be described.

A stand 9 secured to the breast-beam at the replenishing side of the loom, has movably mounted therein a slide g whose outer end is adapted upon outward movement to engage the upper end 0 of an upturned arm 0 having a clamp-hub 0 secured to the tubular shaft 0 (see Figs. 2 and 3,) a spring sattached to said arm, and the stand 9 serving to return the slide g to normal position after outward movement thereof.

When filling failure is detected by the auxiliary filling-detector, the slide g is moved outward by an auxiliary Weft-hammer W Figs. 1, 2, 3', and 5, to rock the tubular shaft 0 and arrest the operation of the take-up mechanism, as described.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 2 to '5, the bifurcated inner end of the slide g has fixed therein a'transve-rse pivot-pin 15 for the auxiliary filling-detector, the latter comprising a head g having ears g to rock on the pin and provided with tines g and a body 9 having a loop-like tail 9 and ears g pivotally mounted on the pin 15. A spring 25 is coiled around the said pin, and the ends of the spring bear, respectively, on the body 9 and the tine-head 9 the winding of the spring being such that normally the head g is held against the beveled ends 30, Figs. 4 and 5, of the ears g on the body. Normally, therefore, the body and tines are maintained in the relative position clearly shown in Fig. 5, and they will rock or tilt as a whole on the piu 15 when the filling engagesthe tines on every alternate beat-up of the lay, and if on such a detecting-pick the filling is absent the tail 9 will beengaged by the hook 10 of the weft-hammer VV and the slide 'g will be moved outward in usual nanner. The head g has secured to one of its ears g a depending lug g Figs. 2 and 3, and secured to the stand g is a finger 9 provided with an inturned end 9' extending into the path of the lug y, when the slide g is moved outward, the said finger being so located as to permit tilting of the filling-detector when the filling is present, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and solong as the loom is run ning properly the tilting'will be effected on every'alternate pick. If the filling fails, however, the detector will not be tilted on the detecting pick and the normal or full-line position of the detector, Fig. 2, will be undisturbed,so that the weft-hammer W will move and tines of the detector will be swung on the fulcrum 15 relatively to the body g and its tail into the position shown in Fig. 3 by the time the slide is in its extreme outward position, the spring 25 permitting ithe relative movement of the parts of the detector. Then the tines g will be above the path of the filling, and the filling laid on the shot of the shuttle immediately succeeding replenishing will be in a plane or path below and out of the range of such tines. It will be. remembered that this filling laid on the first shot extends from the feeder of the replenishing mechanism to the cloth and is termed the filling end, and it remains until severed by devices designed therefor; but by my present invention it cannot interfere with the cooperation of the auxiliary filling-detector and the running filling laid on picks succeeding that on which the filling end is laid. Assuming that the position of the filling end is indicated at 29, Fig. 3, and that it has just been laid, the corresponding position of the slide g and tines g of the auxiliary filling-detector is shown in Fig. 3, the slide being just about to return to normal position, and as the slide moves inward the tines will descend, but behind the filling end I? and between it and the running filling which will be laid on the second pick after replenishing. Consequently the auxiliary detector will respond only to the presence of the running filling, and it will be entirely irresponsive to the filling end 2?, the detector having been lifted over and brought down behind it. In other words, said filling end has been jumped by the auxiliary fillingdetector, and so far as the latter is concerned it is immaterial when the filling end is severed.

The position of the filling end, fork-tines g and running filling is fairly indicated in Fig. 2, wherein the tines in full lines are shown behind the filling end 15 and in front of the running filling t, laid on the second pick following replenishing.

It will be evident from an inspection of Fig. 1 that the main filling-detector detects only on the picks when the shuttle travels from right to left and the auxiliary detector on the intermediate picks, and, further, that it is the running filling which always cooperates with either detector and never the filling end.

Inasmuch as the latter portion of filling extends only to the edge of the cloth the continuation of the filling on the same pick becomes the running filling at the other side of the loom to cooperate with the main fillingdetector.

The weft-hammers W W have opposite movements, being timed to cooperate with their respective filling-detectors upon detection by the latter of filling failure, and as the auxiliary detector-slide will always be moved outward on the pick immediately before the first shot of fresh filling the auxiliary detector will always be rendered irresponsive to the action of the filling end, as has been de scribed.

I have shown herein one practical embodiment of my invention without attempting to show or describe the various changes or modifications thereof which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, which, so far as I am aware, is broadly new.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, two filling-detectors, take-up mechanism controlled by both detectors to arrest its operation upon detection of filling failure by either detector, one of said detectors controlling the operation of the replenishing mechanism, and means to render the other detector irresponsive to the presence of the filling end due to filling replenishing.

2. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, two filling-detectors located at opposite sides of the loom, take-up mechanism controlled by said detectors to arrest its operation upon detection of filling failure by either detector, one of said detectors controlling the operation of the replenishing mechanism, and means to render the other detector, located at the replenishing side of the loom, irresponsive to the presence of the filling end due to filling replenishing.

3. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, two filling-detectors, take-up mechanism controlled by both detectors to arrest its operation upon detection of filling failure by either detector, one of said detectors controlling the operation of the replenishing mechanism, and means operative by or through failure of the filling to render the other detector irresponsive to the presenceof the filling end due to the operation of the replenishing mechanism.

4. In a loom provided with mechanism operative automatically upon filling failure to provide a fresh supply of filling, a filling-detector located at the same side of the loom, take-up mechanism controlled by said detector to arrest its operation upon detection of filling failure by the. detector, and means to prevent operative engagement of said detector with an intact filling end between the cloth and the replenishing mechanism resulting from the operation of the latter.

5. In a loom provided with mechanism operative automatically upon filling failure to provide a fresh supply of filling, a filling-detector located at the same side of the loom, take-up mechanism controlled by said detector to arrest its operation upon detection of filling failure by the detector, and means to move said detector into position behind the filling end presented by the operation of the replenishing mechanism, to cooperate only with the running filling.

6. In a loom provided with mechanism operative automatically upon filling failure to provide a fresh supply of filling, a filling-detector located at the same side of the loom, take-up mechanism controlled by said de- ICO &

tector to arrest its operation upon detection of filling failure by the detector, and means to move said detector over, and into operative position behind, the filling end presented by the operation of the replenishing mechanism, to thereby render said detector responsive to the running fillingand irresponsive to the filling end.

7. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, two filling-detectors, take-up mechanism controlled by both detectors to arrest its operation upon detection of filling failure by either detector, one of said detectors controlling the operation of the replenishing mechanism, and means operative upon failure of filling to lift the other detector above, and move it over and behind, the filling end presented by the operation of the replenishing mechanism, into position to cooperate only with the running filling.

8. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, take-up mechanism, two filling-detectors located at opposite sides of the loom, connections between one detector and the replenishing and take-up mechanisms, connections between the other detector and the take-up mechanism only, and means operative upon detection of filling'failure by the latter detector to operatively position it behind the filling end due to filling replenishing, whereby said detector is rendered irresponsive to the filling end and responsive to the running filling.

9. In a loom, stopping means, filling-replenishing mechanism, means, including a main filling-detector, to effect the operation of said mechanism upon detection of filling failure, and to operate the stopping means after a predetermined number of successive operations of said mechanism, an auxiliary filling-detector, take-up mechanism, independent connections between it and said dc-' tectors, to arrest operation of the former upon detection of filling failure by either detector, and means to move the auxiliary detector into operative position in front of the running filling, but behind the filling end due to the operation of the replenishing mechanism.

10. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, main and auxiliary filling-detectors, the former controlling the operation of said mechanism, take-up mechanism controlled by both detectors to arrest its operation upon detection of filling failure by either, the auxiliary detector comprising a tail and tines yieldingly connected therewith, and means to effect relative movement of said parts upon the normal operation of the detector due to filling failure, to thereby lift the tines above the filling end due to filling replenishing, the return of the detector as a whole to detecting position causing the tines to descend behind such filling end in readiness to cooperate with the running filling.

11. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, a main filling-detector, controlling the operation of said mechanism,an auxiliary de- ,tector at the replenishing side of the loom,

including tines movable with and also relatively to the body of the detector, a detectorslide, means to move it when filling failure is detected by the detector, means to lift the tines upon such slide movement, to permit passage thereunder of the filling end due to filling replenishing, return of the slide permitting descent of the tines to normal position but behind the filling end, and take-up mechanism the operation of which is arrested by or through the auxiliary detector upon detection thereby of filling failure.

12. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, a main filling-fork controlling the operation of said mechanism, an auxiliary fillingfork located at the replenishing side of the loom and comprising a pivotally-mounted, loop-like body, tines, and a yielding connection therebetween, a-fork-slide,means to move it when the fork detects filling failure, a fixed device to lift the tines relatively to the body upon such slide movement, and take up mechanism the operation of which is arrested by or through the auxiliary fork upon detection of filling failure, the return of the said fork-slide permitting the tines of the auxiliary fork to return to operative position in front of the running filling but behind the filling end due to filling replenishing.

13. In a loom provided with filling-replenishing mechanism, main and auxiliary fillingforks located at opposite sides of the loom, the former controlling the operation of said mechanism, take-u p mechanism the operation whereof is arrested by or through either filling-fork upon detection of filling failure, and means to automatically, and temporarily lift the tines of the auxiliary fork upon failure of the filling in front of the latter, whereby, upon subsequent return of the tines to normal position they will be behind the filling end due to the operation of the replenishing mechanism, and irresponsive to the action of such filling end.

'14. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism at one side thereof, main and auxiliary filling-detecting devices, located at opposite sides of the loom and each including a pivotally-mounted fork, a supporting-slide, and an actuator to move the slide upon detection of filling failure by its fork, the forks detecting upon alternate picks, the replenishing mechanism being controlled by the main detecting device, take up mechanism the operation whereof is arrested upon detection of filling failure by either detecting device, and means, operative upon movement of the auxiliary slide by its actuator, to lift the auxiliary fork above the path of the filling at the replenishing side of the loom, return of the auxiliary slide to normal position after filling replenishing permitting the auxiliary fork to resume its operative position in front of the fresh running filling but behind the filling laid on the pick immediately following filling replenishing.

15. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, main and auxiliary filling-detectors, the former being located at the side of the loom opposite said mechanism and controlling its operation and the auxiliary detector at the replenishing side of the loom, take-up mechanism the operation whereof is arrested upon detection of filling failure by the auxiliary detector, and means to operatively position the auxiliary detector behind the filling laid on the pick immediately following filling replenishing and in front of the path of the running filling laid on the next pick.

16. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, main and auxiliary filling-detectors, the former being located at the side of the loom opposite said mechanism and controlling its operation and the auxiliary detector at the replenishing side of the loom, take-up mechanism the operation whereof is arrested upon detection of filling failure by the auxiliary detector, and means to lift the auxiliary de tector over, and restore it to position behind, the filling laid on the pick immediately following filling replenishing and in condition to detect presence or absence of the running filling laid on the next and alternate picks.

17. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, means to control the time of operation thereof, a filling-detector located at the replenishing side of the loom, to detect filling failure, take up mechanism the operation whereof is arrested by or through said detector upon filling failure, and means to render said detector irresponsive to the filling laid on the first pick following replenishing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. ROPER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE OTIS DRAPER, ERNEST W. Wool). 

